Tolerance and Taboo

It always amazes me when Tehran is labeled as a city without vice or lust. Having spent much time there, I think it’s safe to say that like every other place on earth where human beings live, sex happens (and not just among married people and not always between a man and woman.) Anyone who says different has either never been there or has ulterior motives to make you believe in Islamic chastity.

Of course the mullahs have tried to repress sex but, like the regime itself, it’s a lost cause. Many scholars talk about the regime’s policy of trying to control sex, especially among the youth, as being one their biggest mistake. It’s hard to disagree.

Iran has a long way to go before it would be compared with San Francisco, Bangkok or Amsterdam, but on this trip I saw signs that the Islamic Republic’s attitudes about sex are finally inching closer to reality. There are billboards promoting condom use, condoms are widely available at all pharmacies and people are discussing sex more openly than on my previous trips.

People are surprised when I tell them that prostitution is rampant in Iran. If they don’t believe me I suggest they consult Netflix and rent one of the several films that’s been made on the subject in recent years. Some good examples: Prostitution Behind the Veil and My Name is Rocky.

It’s assumed by outsiders that the regime would squash such activity, but that would be giving the Islamic Republic too much credit. They’re not all powerful, and furthermore the leaders in Tehran understand that they must turn a blind on to many of the social ills they allegedly disagree with; sex, drugs, high-speed Internet. I think their sometimes lackadaisical attitude is part of what keeps them in power.